Rights and Freedom Advocates (RIFA) have observed with consternation the opposition of some forces of oppression to launch of Sharia Panel in some States of the Southern Nigeria. What baffles one is that the forces never hide their penchant for suppression of fundamental rights of their fellow human beings.
They orchestrate their agenda under different amorphous groups’ names which usually spring up whenever they want to execute any propaganda. No wonder, they have started flying pseudo names as usual attacking anyone with audacity to challenging their ultra vires as if they have monopoly of such. Also, they have recruited their brethren in the saddle of governance.
Little wonder that as usual, the Oyo State Governor Engr Seyi Makinde was the first to fire the shot of their plan followed by Ewi of Ado-Ekiti before the Ekiti State Governor joined the fray and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State then sealed it with a threatening voice. In all, none of them could dispute the constitutionality of what they oppose but just that they were not bold enough to tell the world, they do not want freedom for those who played host to them when they arrived.
For freedom enthusiasts, section 275 of the FRN Constitution (as amended) provides (1) ‘There shall be for any State that requires it a Sharia Court of Appeal for that State’. the same way Section 280 ‘(1) of the same constitution provides “ There shall be for any State that requires it a Customary Court of Appeal for that State.”.
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It is a known fact that Ogun State has Customary Court of Appeal. If that is possible for those who do not believe in Sharia, why is it not possible for the State government to make laws for Shariah Court of Appeal for those who want it if not hypocrisy of they must be subdued by all means? Or in the dictionary of hypocrites, what is sauce for the goose is not sauce for the gander?
In Ogun State, citizens and residents have been complaining about poor governance which even made the hearts of the State Capital-Abeokuta suffering serious dearth of infrastructural facilities most especially the popular Kuti family house and Isabo Court roads. However, Governor Dapo Abiodun has not deemed it fit till date to respond to the clarion calls of residents to fix these roads among others.
Similarly, the rate at which criminal gangs now operate in the State is unprecedented and the Governor has been mute despite the rise in the ugly incidents across the State to the point that wife of a former Assistant Inspector General of Police was kidnapped in her house. If the energy dissipated on Sharia has been exercised on other governance issues in the State, Ogun state would have been better than what it is currently.
As if the above was not enough in the hypocrisy game, the Egba Complaint Committee (ECC) has been issuing ridiculous judgments to the point it has repeatedly ignored judgments of the Supreme Court in Nigeria when Section 235 of the FRN Constitution gives final judgment to the apex Court and make its decisions binding on lower courts handling similar cases.
Can Ogun State Government or any other person tell the world the law that empowers the ECC to exist and be issuing judgments like regular courts to the extent of even overriding what the highest court in the land has ruled over? Or would the Ministries of Justice and Chieftaincy Affairs feign ignorance of the aberration to Nigerian judicial system by ECC which has been haven for land grabbers where they get ‘judgment’ on lands they have no genuine claim on? And instead of disbanding the ECC and issue proclamation that all its judgments remain invalid, the Ogun State government allows the aberration to fester unchecked.
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In fact, the manner in which Ogun State law on land grabber is being flouted by ECC is nulli secondus yet not disbanded or any statement made by the Government whose laws are openly disregarded. Under which law is the charade registered or enabled to operate is a question begging for answer?
A good administrator with open mind would have invited stakeholders for how to administer the Constitutional provisions since Sharia Court is a Constitutional matter and not issue press release in compliance with directive from “above”
If the commercialized judicial system doesn’t allow poor people to access justice due to exorbitant litigation fees, is it a crime to provide cheaper, fair and genuine alternative means to obtain justice by the oppressed and even resolved issues amicably instead of relying on uncertain regular compromised system?
If ECC with no constitutional backup could survive and even issue judgment that reversed what Supreme court has proclaimed, which one is now anti-constitution-the government opposing constitutionalism or the people who want to comply with their constitutional rights which oppressors want to avert?
Rights and Freedom Advocates (RIFA) look forward to the government issuing and directing immediate closure of ECC and similar unregistered bodies and a declaration that all judgments it has made in the past remain invalid, null and void being an illegal, unregistered and unknown to any law in the State.
Or is there any law in Ogun State that empowers such Committee to operate and issue judgment in the State and those who want Sharia cannot exist and conduct their own affairs in line with Section 38 of the Constitution of the FRN which allows manifestation of one’s religion?
The governments in Nigeria should not be impediment to peaceful resolutions of conflicts among the people. Therefore, the opponents of Sharia panel have had enough of their oppression in the land which led to the compromised justice system. So, let those who want liberation breathe as far they do not insist on abrogation of judicial system foisted on the nation by usurpers of justice which has disappointed many.
The most awesome of Shariah panel is that even in communities where it is being practiced without much ado, all have found unprecedented peace at the justice dispensed while the extremists continue fuming on what was not imposed on them the way they imposed themselves and their obstructive systems on others.
RIFA urge all opponents of Sharia panel to sheath their sword of resistance since it is not meant for them and allow those who want Shatria to enjoy their freedom the same way those people have enjoyed their fashioned judicial system operating nationwide.
Luqman Soliu
President,
Rights and Freedom Advocates (RIFA)
